Capping machine



Oct. 11, 1932. J Y 1,882,330

CAPPING. MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 28 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rn gy Oct. 11, 1932.

J. H. LEAHY CAPPING MACHINE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 28, 1925 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN H.'LEAHY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI CAPPING MACHINE Application filed December 28, 1925, Serial No. 77,918. Renewed March 5, 1932.

This'inven'tion relates to machines for capping bottles, jars and similar articles, and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to machines for applying a twisting action to specially designed metal caps which are locked by rotation on the top of the bottle or ar.

The invention has for one of" its objects to provide an inexpensive and eflicient machine for operating simultaneously upon a plurality of bottles, to rotate'their caps into locked position.

Another object is to release the locked caps automatically at the end of the operation.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View partly in section of the improved capping mecha nism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of one of the gripper devices shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. at is a View of the bottle neck to which a cap is to be applied.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of one of the caps.

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation showing the actuating mechanism for the tray, with the latter in its elevated position.

Figure 7 is a side View of the foot treadle.

In the prior art, there are a number of machines for applying stoppers or screwthreaded caps to bottles or jars. In these machines, a relative axial movement of the bottle and the stopper or cap is depended upon along with a rotative movement of the stopper or cap during the actual stoppering or capping moment. To this end, the machines are designed with means for moving the bottle or jar into the cap or upon the stopper while other means cause a rotation of the cap or stopper at the same time. Such machines are entirely unsuited to the capping 1 of certain types of containers more recently invented and perfected. The present invention has particular application to the capping of such recently designed containers and comprises a simple, inexpensive and -durable machine by which a large number of bottles or jars may be capped in a single operation. Also, in the prior art, there are certain hand devices or semiautomatic machines for capping jars or bottles in which there is no necessity for relative axial movement between the ar and the cap in the operation of sealing the cap on the jar, but in such devices the gripping of the cap for rota-' tion is on the Stillson wrench or similar principle whereby resistance to the rotative movement of the cap increases the grip, and such devices are unsuited to mechanical or automatic operation because they are dependent upon the touch of the operator to deter mine when the cap has reached its home position rotatively. It is believed that the pres ent invention represents the first successful device for mechanically capping jars or bottles equipped with caps which move to their home position against lugs and by a straight rotative movement after they have been assembled on the jar to receive such rotative movement. The present invention also provides a mechanical device whereby a multiplicity of loosely capped bottles or jars may be operated upon at the same time and each cap rotated to its full home position, no one of the caps being dependent for its operation upon any limitation of movement of some other cap being operated upon at the same time; I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, there is indicated at 10 an elevating table provided with locating lugs 11 at either end. Suitable mechanism is provided for moving the table up and down at the proper times. mechanism may comp-rise a treadle 5 0 fulcrumed at 51 upon a bracket 52 secured to a floor 53. This treadle 50 is connected by a pin-and-slot joint 54 with the lower end of a stem 55 connected at its upper end with the bottom side of the elevating table 10 that is supported laterally and guided in its vertical movements by the frame 56 of which the bar 20 may constitute part as shown in Fig. 6. A tray 12 having a plurality of transverse partitions 13 is adaptedto be located on the table between the lugs 11 either by hand or As herein shown this.

by a mechanism operating in timed relation with at the top or mouth a closure cap 15.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for twisting these caps on the bottle mouth tocause a tight engagement. The bottles shown for illustrative purposes in the present case has a series of lugs 16 cast with the bottlenear the mouth. The cap shown for use therewith is of stamped metal with inturned flanges 17 adapted to take in under the lugs of he bottle and wedge into locked engagement therewith. The flanges 17 are provided at corresponding respective ends with a raised portion 18 which comes into end to end engagement with the lug and serves as a stop arresting the rotative or twisting movement of the cap.

For twisting the caps there is provided a bar 20 having mounted thereon a series of rotatable grippers 21 with actuating arms 22. The latter are connected at their outer ends to a single actuating rod 23. In the present form of the invention each gripper comprises a cylindrical casing 24 with an inserted rubber grip member 25. The member 25 projects slightly below the casing and is hollowed as at 26 to receive the top or the cap.

The bar 20 is fixed so that movement of the elevating table upwardly brings the bottle caps into pressure contact with the rubber grips. By means'of a chain 27, or devices connected to operate in timed relation with the elevating table, the bar 23 is given a short lengthwise movement causing simuL taneous movement of all the grippers and consequent twisting of all the caps into locked position. The engagement of the grip members and the caps being frictional in character, suflicient grip is obtained to move each cap to locking position, but there is provision for relative slip between the grip member and the cap when the latter has moved to full locking position and the'grip member is still further rotated. A weight 30, or if desired a spring, is used to return the gripper parts to normal position when the elevating table is lowered and the frictional engagement thereby broken.

What I claim is 1. In a machine for fastening caps upon containers, a support having rotatively mounted thereon a plurality of grippers each comprising a cupped member having an tional engagement therewith while the grippers are conjointly operated.

2. 'In a machine for fastening caps upon containers, a support, a plurality of rotatable grippers on said support, each gripper comprising a cup having an elastic friction surface, a support for a plurality of loosely capped containers, means for effecting a relative movement between the two supports to present the caps to the cups, and means for 'conjointly operating the grippers to eifect a rotative movement thereof in a horizontal plane while the vertical relationship between the respective grippers, caps andcontainers is substantially maintained.

3. In a machinefor fastening caps upon containers, a plurality ofgripper members supported for rotative movement, a tray adapted to receive and hold a corresponding plurality of loosely capped containers, a device adapted to receive said tray, actuating means for said device whereby the tray and loosely capped container are moved into frictional engagement respectively with the grippers, means for rotating the grippers conjointly while the tray is held in substantially unvarying relation thereto, and means for returning the grippers to original position when the tray is withdrawn.

JOHN H. LEAHY.

elastic friction surface, means connecting said plurality of grippers for'conjoint rotative movement on said support, and means for presenting a plurality of loosely capped containers respectively to said grippers and holding the caps thereof in substantially unvarying vertical relation thereto and fric- 

